Boxing news 2025: Joseph Parker v Daniel Dubois title fight, illness, Oleksander Usyk
Former two time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will look to re-assert himself as a top heavyweight contender when he returns to the ring against American Jermaine Franklin. Josh Taylor will defend his WBO super-lightweight championship against former world champion Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden. The pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue will defend his undisputed junior featherweight world title against San Antonio native Ramon Cardenas in Las Vegas.
Nikita Tszyu, with an unbeaten record, faces Jack Brubaker, seeking redemption after a past defeat to Tim Tszyu. Five months after Chinese southpaw Zhilei Zhang shook up the heavyweight division with a stunning knockout, he’ll look to do it again when he rematches Joy Joyce at Ovo Wembley in London. Super-bantamweight Sam Goodman hopes to continue his run for a world title shot when he faces Mark Schleibs. In this WBC Super Bantamweight World Title Eliminator Australia’s Sam Goodman will face Thailand’s undefeated Chainoi Worawut for a chance at the current titleholder Naoya “The Monster” Inoue. Brace yourselves for an electrifying night featuring boxing legend Manny Pacquiao who steps into the RIZIN ring to face kickboxing sensation Rukiya Anpo. Boxing superstar Gervonta Davis returns to defend his WBA Lightweight World Title against WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Lamont Roach at the Barclays Center, New York.
Is hitting on the belt legal in boxing?
Illegal blows: Boxers must land punches above the waist. Strikes below the belt, to the back of the head, or to the kidneys are prohibited. Headbutts, hitting on the break, and punching after the bell are also considered fouls.
Plus, Manny Pacquiao will make his highly anticipated return to the ring to face Mario Barrios. IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois is hungry to get back in the ring against Oleksandr Usyk, demanding the undisputed champion face him in a rematch. The winner of Dubois vs Parker was expected to fight unified champion Usyk next, with Dubois making clear his desire to exact revenge on the Ukrainian. Usyk stopped Dubois in 2023 after the Briton dropped the unbeaten southpaw with a low blow, which many believed was a legal body shot.
No Limit Super Saturday
Bitter rivals Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr return to Manchester’s AO Arena in a high stakes rematch. Plus, Olympic medallist Frazer Clarke will step up against the highly experienced Dave Allen. Australia’s Brock Jarvis will take on former Welterweight World Champion Keith Thurman in a blockbuster event at the Hordern Pavillion. Australia’s undefeated Sam Goodman makes his long awaited return to the ring where he faces Mexico’s Cesar Vaca in Sydney.
Sonny Bill Williams vs Paul Gallen
Also, Jason Moloney will defend his WBO championship while fellow Aussie Rohan Murdock takes on the undefeated Christian Mbilli. Undefeated three-division world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis will defend his WBA Lightweight World Title against unbeaten top contender Frank “The Ghost” Martin. Pound-for-pound great and Mexican superstar Canelo Álvarez will put his unified WBC, WBA and WBO Super Middleweight World Titles on the line against undefeated WBA No. 1-Ranked Mandatory Contender Edgar Berlanga. Ryan Garcia makes his highly anticipated return to the ring to face Rolando ‘Rolly’ usyk vs dubois Romero for the vacant WBA World Welterweight title in a stacked fight card in Times Square, New York. Tim Tszyu is poised for a blockbuster rematch with towering American Sebastian Fundora in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas.
- Also WBC cruiserweight champ Ilunga Makabu defends his belt against former two weight division champ Badou Jack, while Ashton Sylve takes on Maxwell Awuku in a lightweight bout.
- For the first time in over 11 years Canelo will fight on home soil when he returns to his hometown to defend his undisputed super-middleweight title against John Ryder.
- Mexican superstars will go toe-to-toe as pound-for-pound great Canelo Álvarez puts his undisputed super middleweight world title on the line against unbeaten all-action former world champion Jaime Munguía.
- Jake Paul will take the next step to becoming a world champion when he faces former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
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The 33-year-old made light work of Martin Bakole, who stepped up to replace Dubois on short notice, earning a second-round knockout win. The score will be settled on who is the best super flyweight in the world when Juan Francisco Estrada puts his Ring Magazine 115-pound title on the line against Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez. Two of Britain’s best will collide when Chris Eubank Jr takes on Liam Smith in this career defining fight. Joy Joyce will defend his WBO Interim World Heavyweight title for the first time against the Chinese giant Zhilei Zhang at Copper Box Arena.
‘I’ve been cheated’: Staggering world title drama as champ survives after ‘bulls**t’ call
In this world championship doubleheader, Shakur Stevenson will attempt to become a three-division world champion when he takes on Edwin De Los Santos. Usyk, holding the regular WBO belt, may therefore be ordered to fight Saturday’s winner next. Dubois was due to defend the IBF heavyweight title against Parker on Saturday, but the champion was pulled from the fight on two days’ notice due to illness. That led Bakole to step in, as the “most-avoided” heavyweight fights Parker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. George Kambosos Jr looks to avenge his June 5 loss as he takes on the undefeated Devin Haney in a rematch for the undisputed lightweight world championship. Paul Gallen will look to put the nail in the coffin in his feud with former Origin opponent Justin Hodges in what shapes up to be an explosive end to Gal’s boxing career.
